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Pastitsio

Ingredients: 1 lb. long macaroni 4 tbsps. butter

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste 3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup parmesan cheese

Meat sauce: 1 large onion, chopped 1 large clove, crushed 2 tbsps. butter 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef 3 tbsps. tomato paste 1/2 cup Red OR White wine 1/2 cup stock 2 tbsps. parsley, chopped 1/2 tsp. sugar Salt and pepper, to taste Cream sauce: 1/3 cup butter 1/2 cup flour 3 cups milk 1/4 tsp. nutmeg Salt and pepper, to taste 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions: Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until just tender. Drain and return to pan. Melt the butter until golden brown and pour over macaroni. Add 1/2 cup of cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Leave until cool, add eggs & toss again. Keep to side. Meat Sauce: Gently fry onion and garlic in butter until the onion is soft. Increase the heat and add the ground beef. Stir well and cook until the meat begins to brown. Add the remaining meat sauce ingredients, cover and simmer over gentle heat for 20 minutes. Cream Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 min. Add the milk all at once and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently 1 minute. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and cool a little before stirring in beaten egg. Add 1/2 cup of this sauce to the cooked meat sauce. To assemble Pastitsio: Butter a 13× 9× 3 inch oven dish. Spoon half of prepared macaroni evenly in base & top with meat sauce. Cover with the remaining macaroni, leveling top. Pour on cream sauce and spread to completely cover macaroni. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and cook in moderate oven 350 degrees for 50 minutes until golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Tess Mallos, Greece

86

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